two-worlds-2
Latest
Two Worlds 2 arrives on our world September 14
We've already gone on record as saying that Two Worlds II doesn't look nearly as terrible as we fully expected it to, but we're still a little surprised to report we were genuinely, non-ironically excited to see that it had been officially dated this morning. Publisher SouthPeak says the open-world action-RPG will arrive on Sept. 14 on PS3, 360 and PC. Perhaps before then we'll get our hands on the game and be able convert our "non-pessimism" to "optimism." Here's hoping! %Gallery-89295%
Impressions: Two Worlds II
I rush back to the PAX East press room, locked in that strange place between disbelief and acceptance, nigh incapacitated by the surreal certainty that my worldview is in the process of being fundamentally shifted. "Guys," I say to the collected Joystiq staffers fully expecting my verbal evisceration of TopWare's follow-up. "Guys ... Two Worlds II actually looks kind of cool." They don't believe me. %Gallery-89295%
Two Worlds II site updates with new screens, 'moveshots'
The official Two Worlds II site has added a handful of screens and something called "moveshots" -- three-second clips featuring some of the game's characters in idle poses. Do idle animation clips get you hyped up for the third-person sequel to a less-than-stellar role-playing title? Mind you, if the latest batch of screens represents developer Reality Pump's way of showcasing its state-of-the-art, horrific medieval clown technology, then a hearty "job well done." Look at them in the shot above, they're the stuff of nightmares! More screens and those "moveshot" things are available on the game's official site.
Two Worlds II pushed into spring of 2010
After oodles of 2009 delays, this is one that really hurts. We're talking about a "getting bit on the finger by Charlie" level of pain here. Are you braced? OK. Two Worlds II -- which is not Two Worlds: The Temptation -- has been delayed by SouthPeak until the spring of 2010, according to GameSpot. The bigger question, of course, is, "What joke are we going to make about Two Worlds II being delayed?" We've gone back and forth, because we're worried about being too mean. We soon realized though that if you picked the joke, we wouldn't have to feel so guilty. Do our dirty work right after the break.
SouthPeak doubles game sales in 2009 amid dropping profits
Though SouthPeak is keen to point out that its net revenues rose from last year by $7.2 million, the company's profits for the year remain firmly in the red, with a $12.1 million posted loss for the 2009 fiscal year ending June 30. SouthPeak's loss report comes confusingly paired with a 100% increase in units sold from fiscal year 2008 (from 1.2 to 2.4 million units) -- 2009's posted $12.1 net loss gets explained away by "approximately $12.5 million invested in game development and intellectual property for future title releases," among other things. The report also allows "$1.6 million of expenses relating to the Gamecock acquisition," hopefully some of which went to paying Gamecock debt now owed by SouthPeak -- this on top of another $4.6 million or so for "charges relating to write-downs on software values and sequel right values to certain titles." Unsurprisingly, the publisher hopes that upcoming titles Two Worlds 2 and My Baby: First Steps, as well as a "highly-anticipated sequel to Dementium," will bolster its next fiscal year. We're just hoping the games the company does sell will actually garner some profit this time around.
Why Two Worlds II isn't Two Worlds: The Temptation
After the announcement of Two Worlds II, we assumed -- erroneously, it turns out -- that developer Reality Pump had ditched the subtitle attached to the previously announced Two Worlds: The Temptation, and gone with a number. In reality, there was a lot more to it than that. The short version, from publisher Zuxxez PR director Joerg Schindler: "The Temptation had been canceled due to technical outdating [sic]. We use a complete new engine for Two Worlds II."
Hey, someone's making Two Worlds II
So this is kinda confusing, try to roll with us. Developer Reality Pump announced that it's working on Two Worlds II, due this winter. Only ... it had already announced a sequel to Oblivion-esque FPS RPG called Two Worlds: The Temptation. We're pretty sure the team just decided to go with the number instead of the subtitle, but we guess we'll never know. (OK, so the story's a bit weirder than we thought.) Set two years after the original, TW II promises "completely overhauled AI and balancing standards, experienced authors, [an] active combat system and the brand-new engine." Here's hoping the changes can make the sequel not so ... you know ... wretched? [Via Eurogamer]
